Electric socket



Feb. 16, 1932.

H. H. WERMINE ELECTRIC SOCKET Filed April 2. 1927 \""^^^7 l U */Kg' 'Il .jv'z

j@ 'lj figa jo il J2 gli" J0 J5 Z6 l l Patented Feb. 16, 1932 HUGO H. WEB/MINE, OF VILLA PAR-K, ILLI ING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILL-IN NOIS, ASSIGNOR TO BELDEN MANUFACTUR- OIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS ELECTRIC SOCKET Application filed April 2, 1927. Serial No. 180,355.

This invention relates to electric sockets and more specifically to the type of sockets which are particularly adapted to use in the open where they are exposed to the weather.

The objects of the invention are to provide a socket particularly adaptedy to outside use, which will not be readily affected by varying weather conditions; to provide a socket which will be water-proof as to the connections thereof, with the usual conductors and also kas to the electric lamp receiving means, which in accordance with usual practice is open at one end. Other objects of the invention are to provide a weatherproof socket which will not be readily bro-` ken due to rough or careless handling; to provide a .socket which will consist of relatively few and simple parts, which parts may be quickly and easily assembled; to provide a socket construction which will be relatively low in cost of manufacture, and in general, to provide an improved ysocket of the class described.

Other objects and advantages of the in- 1 ven'tion will be understood by reference to the .following specification and accompanying drawings wherein I have illustrated `a socket embodying a selected form of my invention .and in which z Fig. 1 is a section on a plane passing through the axis vof the socket.

.Fi-g2 is a section, but on a plane extending :at right anglesY to the plane of the section of Fig. 1.

F ig. "3 is an axial method of assembling the socket .ductors, and

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan View, a closure plate being omitted so as to better illustrate the kconstruction of the socket.

Referring now to the drawings, I have indicated a casing 1() of a resilient. material, preferably rubber, having a recess 11 at one and conend. An electric lamp receiving element comprising a shell 12.l a central contact member 13 and a mounting disk 14, is disposed within the recess 11.v The central Contact member 13 is fixedly mounted in the disk 14 by being headed over on both sides of the disk, as clearly illustrated, and the disk 14 section illustrating theis iixedly mounted in the inner end of the shell 12 by being seated on a shoulder 15 formed therein, and by a ilange 16 which is turned inwardly over the bottom face of the disk. The lamp receiving element is positioned within the recess 11 of the casing by being seated at its innerend on a shoulder 17, formed in the casing 10and retained thereagainst by means of an inwardly extending annular flange 18, which is integral with the side wall of the casing and overlies the outer' end of the shell 12.

The other end of the casing is slightly enlarged as indicated at 19 and is apertured as at 2O so as to provide access to a recess 21 which is formed in the said enlarged end of the casing and separated from the recess 11 by means of an intermediate wall or casing portion 10. The side wall of the casing is notched as indicated at 22 and 23 so as to permit the positioning of conductor wires therein and in the recess 21. Suitable apertures are provided as indicated at 24 and 25 for establishing communication between the recess 21 and the recess 11. In the present instance I have indicated two insulated conductors 26 and 27 which are positioned in the notches 22 and 23 and in the recess 21. The

-conductors .are each bared at a portion as indicated at 26 vand 27 which portions are adapted to be connected to the shell 12 and cen- 'tral contact member 13 respectively, by suitable means such as soldering, as clearly indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the said apertures 24 and permitting such connection.

The lower or enlarged end of the socket is closed and the connections in the recess are concealed and protected by means of a closure disk 28, which is seated between inwardly and outwardly facing oppositely. disposed 'shoulders 29 and 30 respectively, which are formed in the 4casing and which constitute in effect a groove adapted to receive a marginal portion of the disk. The disk is inserted into the groove by expanding the casing as much as isnecessary to permit forcing the disk into place, this being permitted since the casing is made up of resilient material as above described. Preferably, the groove formed bythe shoulders 29 and 30 is of such size that it will be a snug it over the marginal portion of the disk, and will therefore be efective to iirmly hold the disk in place.

rIhe above mentioned inwardly extending annular flange 18 is effective to seal the open or outer end of the socket by fitting tightly against the upper marginal portion of the base of an electric lamp which is seated in the shell 12. It will be understood that since the casing and flange 18 are formed of resilient material, the flange 18 will readily fit tightly against the surface of the lamp base or other part of the lamp which may be brought into contact therewith, the aperturebeing of suitable size to accomplish this result.

In Fig. 2 I have indicated a portion of an electric lamp in dotted lines, seated in the socket and at 18a the manner in which the flange 18 forms the above described tight joint with the lamp.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated the manner in which the conductors are positioned in the notches 22 and 23, and drawn upwardly through the recess 11 so as to facilitate connection thereof to the respective contact members of the lamp receiving element. As shown in the said figure, the conductor 26 is drawn upwardly throu h the recess 11 and the central ort-ion 26 ared so that it may be electrica 1y connected to a portion of the shell 12. The conductor 27 is likewise connected to the central contact member 13 afterv which the conductors are drawn downwardly through the apertures 22 and 23 so that the lamp receiving element will be drawn downwardly into the recess 11 and there positioned as above described. It will be apparent that the lampr receiving element may be forced into the recess through the restricted opening at the top of the recess since the casing is formed of resllient material wherefore it may be expanded sufliciently to permit the passage of the' said lamp receiving element. I also prefer to rovide a separator portion 31 integral with t e casing member for preventing any possible contacting of the bared portions of the conductors 26 and 27, in case either should become detached from its respective contact member, and also to prevent shorting due to other potsible causes. After the conductors 26 and 27 are connected to the lamp receiving element and the latter seated in its proper position in the socket, the recess 21 may be filled with suitable sealing compound as indicated at 32 in Fig. 1, this compound being omitted in Fig. 2.

I am aware that changes in the form and construction of my improved socket may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims, which I therefore desire to have construed as broadly as possible consistent with the state of the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an electric socket, the combination of a casing member provided with a recess having an apertured bottom portion, a lamp receiving element disposed in said recess, an electric conductor disposed at the back of said casing and connected to said lamp receiving element through the aperture in said bottom portion, said aperture permitting the conductor to be passed therethrough and through said recess whereby the conductor is adapted to be connected to said lamp receiving element before said element is positioned in said recess, means integral with said casing and overlying the outer end of said lamp receiving element for .locking the latter in said recess, and means having interlocking engagement with the back end of said casing for enclosing said back end so as to conceal and protect the connection between the conductor and lamp receiving element.

2. In an electric socket, the combination of a casing having recesses in` opposite ends thereof and separated by an intermediate wall, said intermediate wall being apertured so as to establish communication between said recesses, an electric lamp receiving ele'- ment including a pair of contact members disposed in one of said recesses, and a pair of conductors having portions disposed in the other of said recesses and connected respectively through the aperture in said wall, to saidA contact members, and means having interlocking engagement with said casing for closing the recess in which the conductor portions are disposed so as to conceal and protect the connections therein.

3, In an electric socket, the combination of a casing of resilient material, contact devices in one end of said casing, a recess in the other end of said casing provided with an undercut portion, a pair of conductors a casing of resilient material, alamp receiving element in one end of said casing, a recess in the other end of said casing provided wlth :an undercut portion, an electric current conductordisposed in said recess and connected to said lamp receiving element. a closure plate `for said recess,

the resiliency of sa1d casing permitting suiicient expansion thereof to permit insertion of said plate into sald undercut portion, and a filler of insulating sealing material in said recess under said closure plate.

5. In an electric socket,'the combination with a lamp receiving element, of'a casing of relatively soft and resilient rubber provided with a recess in one end for receiving the lamp receiving element, an inwardly projecting annular flange adjacent the outer lend of the recess for retaining the lamp receiving element therein, the other end of said casing being provided with a recess for receiving a conductor adapted to be connected to the lamp receiving element, a closure disk for said last mentioned recess and means 'for mounting said closure disk, comprising a pair of shoulders on the inside of the casing adjacent the outer end of the recess, said shoulders forming a groove adapted to receive a marginal part of the. disk, the .resiliency of the casing permitting suiiicient distortion thereof to permit insertion of said lamp receiving element past said annular flange and intoits recess, and said disk into said groove.

6. In combination in an electric socket, a casing of resilient material having a recess in one end, a lamp receiving element disposed in said recess, stop means adjacent the inner 'end of said recess for limiting inward movement .of the lamp receiving element, means for preventing outward displacement of said element comprising an inwardly 'extending annular flange adapted to overlie a portion of said element, a recess in the other end of said casing provided tering said receiving element, and a closure member for said recess, adapted to be seated around its edge portion in said undercutportion, the resiliency of the casing permitting distortion thereof sufficient to permit insertion of said lamp connecting element into its recess, past said annular flange, and also to permit insertion of said closure-member into interlocking'relation with said undercut recessportion.

7. In combination in an electric socket, a

resilient, insulating material casing having a recess in its outer end and an apertured bottom portion at its base, a lamp receiving element in said recess, an electric conductor connected to said lamp receiving element through the aperture in'said bottom porton,'means for enclosing the connection between said conductor and lamp receiving element including a member having interlocking engagement with the base 'of said casing and engageable therewith only upon distortion of said end of the casing, whereby the resiliency 'of the casing serve to maintain said Iceiving element and being adapted to yieldv sufficiently to permit insertion of' the latter into the recess past said iange. 8. In combination in an electric socket, a

with an undercut portion adjacent its outer end, a conductor enrecess and connected to said lamp j casing of resilient material having a recess in its front end, a tubular metallic lamp receiving element fitting'in said recess, stop means adjacent the base of said recess for limiting inward movement of the lamp receiving element, means for preventing out- Ward displacement of said element comprising an inwardly extending annular flange adapted to overlie the outer end portion of said element, the resiliency of the casing permitting suiiicient distortion ythereof to permit said lamp receiving element to be inserted into said recess past said annular flange, said casing having means at its base for receiving one or more electric conductors extending transversely of the length of the socket, and means having interlocking engagement with said base or retaining said conductors in said receiving means, the distortability of said casing permitting assembly of the casing and said retaining means into said interlocked relation.

HUGO H. WERMINE. 

